95% of purchases will be made online by 2040 according to Kinsta ! To make the most of this traffic, it is essential to improve the customer experience on your e-commerce.
Remember to be accompanied by an e-commerce developer to optimize your online store according to your objectives.
Hybrid purchase journey, social proof, augmented reality, social commerce… Discover the 10 trends that will shape the e-commerce customer experience in 2023!
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| E-Commerce |
1. The continued rise of hybrid e-commerce
While it's true that many consumers prefer to shop online because online businesses are more accessible and cater to their personal preferences, that's not the end of brick-and-mortar stores! Indeed, shoppers appreciate hybrid experiences that make it easier to pay and receive their orders.
As a reminder, a hybrid e-commerce experience makes it possible, for example, to order an item online, then pick it up in a store (or even pay for it upon receipt). This also translates into the opportunity to return a purchase made online directly to a point of sale to obtain a refund or a credit note.
Finally, the information relating to their account, just like their loyalty points, can be consulted or used both online and in store.
Ultimately, consumers can take the next step in their buying journey whenever they want, physically or virtually. This level of convenience motivates many Internet users and can boost your conversions!
2. Advanced social proof
Simply displaying the number of stars is no longer enough. Buyers want more trustworthiness and transparency around social proof.
In order to believe the ratings, they want a full breakdown of the reviews:
- The number of reviews by stars (to more easily consult negative reviews as well);
- The profile of the buyer: age, location, complete variation of the product ordered (size, color, material, etc.);
- Reviews with photos;
- The date the comment was posted.
In addition, Internet users no longer hesitate to consult social networks to analyze the reputation of an online merchant, as well as the quality of his products.
To improve the e-commerce customer experience, display user-generated content directly on your merchant site. There are plugins that identify publications posted with a specific hashtag.
If you have a branded hashtag, then you will be able to display photos and videos posted on Instagram, for example, as Vivadogs, a monthly box brand dedicated to dogs, does:
The more positive feedback you have on the various social platforms, the more visitor confidence will increase. This logically translates into an increase in conversions.
3. Compliance with Google's EEAT criteria
EEAT stands for: Experience, Expertise, Authority and Trustworthiness.
Following this formula ensures you get more traffic from organic search. The key to checking all these SEO criteria established by Google? Original content, with high added value, written by an expert (or passionate about) the subject.
You will have to prove your expertise through useful blog articles, detailed and unique product sheets, an engaging presence on social networks, participation in professional events in your sector, collaboration with specialized media in your sector, marketing influence, etc.
You must become a reference, a reliable source that your consumers consult when they have questions. In addition to pleasing search engines, these best practices improve the customer experience on your e-commerce. Visitors get relevant content to support them in their purchases and guide them to the best choice.
To produce a lot of qualitative content, you can call on an SEO web editor on our platform!
4. Personalization at the service of the e-commerce customer experience
Personalization is a significant trend in e-commerce, with the goal of providing a tailored shopping experience for customers. There are several strategies that online store owners can utilize to improve their customers' shopping experience. Here are some examples of approaches you can implement to personalize their experience:
- Propose targeted recommendations based on the customer's previous purchases;
- Display complementary products in the shopping cart;
- Use geolocation to suggest the nearest stores or collection points;
- Offer an advanced product configurator, so that Internet users can completely personalize their article.
In addition, with the constant advances in artificial intelligence, we can expect to see the arrival of sites based on this type of technology to create a unique experience for visitors.
Thanks to its Machine Learning system, its intelligences will be able to create from the preferences of the visitors a unique and personalized experience to the maximum. This could work via their preferences or even their consumption habits.
5. Augmented Reality, at the top of e-commerce UX trends
Augmented Reality (AR) is slowly but surely becoming popular thanks to the many technological advancements in the field. In addition, more and more sites are integrating it to improve the e-commerce customer experience.
One of the main obstacles in the online shopping journey is not seeing the product, not being able to touch it or try it on before ordering. Augmented reality solves this problem!
Thanks to this technology, users can project themselves with the products, try on clothes or accessories, test make-up… For example, the famous Swedish furniture brand has launched a mobile application called “IKEA Place”.
Thanks to augmented reality, buyers can virtually place furniture in their home and see the real rendering. When people can try a product, even virtually, they are more likely to convert.
6. The chatbot to guide the consumer
Internet users who need support during their purchases do not care whether they are being helped by a robot or a real human. What matters to them: responsiveness and relevance.
It's no wonder that 59% of buyers appreciate asking a chatbot their question and that 52% believe that conversational robots can replace humans in the customer relationship. And in the e-commerce sector, this virtual assistant is very practical for boosting conversions!
Indeed, developing a chatbot makes it possible to capture visitors looking for information. If they can quickly learn about your delivery conditions, your return policy or the products offered on your website, they will be much more likely to buy.
A virtual assistant in the form of a chatbot can provide reassurance regarding your agility and quick response times, while also streamlining your customer service operations and delivering tailored interactions to your website visitors.
7. More payment methods and a simplified process as much as possible
Offering a simple and convenient payment process plays a major role in the e-commerce user experience. Whether it's for loyal customers or first-time buyers, you need to keep the steps to a minimum, while providing as many possibilities as possible.
Here are some key things that improve the checkout process and increase conversions on your store:
- Indicate the number of steps for the user to be more patient;
- Offer automatic completion of the address (after entering a postal code or a street, for example);
- Offer express payment options with the “PayPal Express” buttons, but also the possibility of paying with Apple Pay, Google Pay or Amazon Pay;
- Offer payment in installments, especially if you sell expensive products.
You want to simplify the navigation of Internet users, consider calling on a freelance e-commerce developer . Depending on your needs and your sector of activity, he will offer you effective solutions to improve the user experience of your merchant site.
8. Social commerce for an omnichannel e-commerce customer experience
As you know, your customers are on social networks. But what you might not know is that they like to stay there to do everything: read an article, play a game, chat privately with their friends, contact a brand… and go shopping!
According to a Capterra survey, 29% of USA consumers who shop online have made a purchase on social media platforms such as Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter, or Snapchat. This practice, known as social commerce, involves selling products directly through social networks and offers a fully integrated shopping experience within the platform.
Social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok, and Snapchat have integrated social commerce features that allow users to make purchases directly through the platform. This approach offers several benefits, including a streamlined shopping experience for customers as they have access to all necessary options such as chat, delivery information, and payment methods on a single page. Compared to a traditional online store, social commerce reduces the number of steps and clicks required to complete a purchase, making the process more seamless.
9. Voice commerce is ramping up
The evolution of user experience extends beyond your website. With the rise of connected speakers such as Google Home and Alexa, voice commerce is also thriving.
With recent advancements, it is now feasible to order both a pizza and a product from Amazon with just one command.
In the immediate future, the simplest approach would be to launch a storefront on Amazon's marketplace and capitalize on the opportunity. Looking ahead, it would be wise to create your own voice-enabled application, enabling shoppers to access purchasing guides, product comparisons, and relevant updates directly.
10. The visual instead of words
Recent advancements in image recognition technology have led to a significant impact on the customer experience, as visuals play a crucial role in it.
Now, on Google or Pinterest, you can easily search for products from a pre-existing image or an image captured with the phone. These two platforms have very powerful functionalities to find products identical or similar to those required in visual searches.
What can you do to take advantage of visual commerce and improve your visitors' experience?
We are not talking about traditional SEO positioning, in which it is enough to include the keyword in “title” and “alt”. In the field of image recognition, the technology is able to identify a visual by scanning and find matches without using descriptions or tags .
In today's digital age, it is crucial to feature product photos that are clear and visually appealing, showcasing the different color options and angles. It is important to ensure that the background is clean and uncluttered to make it easier for customers to locate your product. With the increasing use of smartphones and social media platforms, your product images should be optimized for easy viewing on mobile devices and easy discovery through Google searches.
Our tip to improve your e-commerce site in 2023
Competition in e-commerce remains tough. Want to retain your customer base and gain new market share in the coming year? You need to improve the user experience by responding to these 10 e-commerce trends!